West Ham United are interested in signing the Alaves defender Guillermo Maripan in the summer.
According to Daily Mail, the Hammers have already submitted a £9.5m bid for the centre back. The player has a buyout clause of £21million.
Manuel Pellegrini is looking to shore up his defence and he has identified Maripan as a target. The 26-year-old has been in impressive form this season and he is helping his side push for European football.
The Chilean has been likened to the Barcelona star Gerard Pique because of his playing style. Maripan is a commanding centre half who likes to play out of the back.
He has the physique to succeed in the Premier League and he could be an ideal partner for Issa Diop. Diop has had a fantastic debut season with the Hammers. However, the other centre back position has been an issue for West Ham this season.
The likes of Ogbonna and Balbuena have been inconsistent and that has impacted West Ham’s defensive showings. Maripan could fix a major problem area for Pellegrini.
It will be interesting to see whether the Hammers can agree on a deal for the defender now. Roma are thought to be interested in the player as well.
The Italian giants are a step up from West Ham and Maripan might be more interested in joining them. West Ham will have to convince the player that a move to London will be better for his career.
With Pellegrini at the helm, they certainly have a chance of convincing the defender to join.
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